BRIDPORT: A partially sighted man took on the challenge to walk the length of Chesil Beach to raise money for his cousin.

Keith Francis, 37, set himself the task to walk from Abbotsbury to West Bay despite the difficulty and the cold, autumnal conditions he was likely to encounter.

Keith pushed himself to do the walk for his second cousin, young Sir John Colfox School student, Charlie Parkman, who is going on a school trip to Borneo.

Mum Lyn said: “Keith is partially sighted but has never let this stop him from doing anything.

“He makes the most of everything he’s got.

“He decided to use this challenge to help his second cousin Charlie Parkman to raise money to go to Borneo next year.

“The family has been involved in some of the fundraising events and Keith thought he could help out.”

On the day the weather was kind but the journey was not without its dramas.

The support team met them at the first stage in West Bexington, where they strapped up Keith’s ankle – the ankle he broke a few years before.

The next stop was Burton Bradstock where Keith’s other ankle had to be strapped up.

Then the family waited for the pair in West Bay.

Lyn added: “Thank goodness they both carried phones. I had spoken to the Coast Watch at Burton who assured us that the beach should be fine all the way to West Bay as long as they stayed close to the water.

“They rounded the corner just after that and the water was particularly close to the cliff and a wave got them!

“Keith fell and he and his phone were immersed in the freezing water.

“He was fine but his phone isn’t.

“As they progressed they didn’t feel that it was safe to walk under the cliffs at West Bay so they trudged up over the top.

“The descent there is very steep and we had seen a couple of people fall so we advised them to walk over to the golf course where they got their ears bitten off by a grumpy golfer.

“But they made it safe and sound.”

The duo took around four hours and Keith raised more than £400.